Not Anymore
by KnowingNoMore
Summary: Post-canon. Sasuke was ever cold and distant, occupied with endless missions. Was she asking too much from him? As his wife, Sakura didn't think so. What would it take to make the man understand that he wasn't ALONE anymore, that he had a family to return to and to share love with? (Set after #710)
1. Reunion

**Disclaimer:** Everything goes to Kishimoto-sensei who created such amazing characters.

 **Warnings:** Suggested adult themes, very implicit though. (We're talking about _marriage_ here...it's kind of inevitable) Just wanna be safe (-_-)

 **Summary:** Post-canon. Sasuke was ever cold and distant, occupied with endless missions. Was she asking too much from him? As his wife, Sakura didn't think so. What would it take to make the man understand that he wasn't ALONE anymore, that he had a family to return to and to share love with? (Set after #710)

* * *

 **Not Anymore**

 _by Teru_

* * *

 **1: Reunion**

It was one of the long journeys which somehow managed to drain all of his physical and even mental strength. There was a dull throbbing pain just behind his eyes, reminding him how low his chkra storage had become during his last encounter with a couple of guerrilla ninja forces at the border of Land of Wind.

As he whirled through the dark forest, the scenery surrounding him a blur, Uchiha Sasuke languidly noted the slightly sluggish way his body moved atop the large branches. Of course, if any one had seen him, they'd marveled at the gracefulness, speed, and stealth of the ninja's movement. But Uchiha Sasuke knew that weariness had soaked through his body. After all, he was ever a keen and perceptive observer of his own mind and the world around him, except when he was too absorbed in negative emotions which would eventually end up clouding his judgement.

Well, he certainly had learned a lot from his past experiences.

When he finally reached the front gate of Konoha village, it was about sunset. Sasuke slowed down. In truth, He preferred a leisure pace. The familiar sight of his home town sent a strange feeling down his gut. No matter how many times he returned from his mission, he couldn't quite get rid of this queer little feeling. He guessed that it was a good feeling after all.

Sasuke smirked.

.:.

"I'm home."

Uchiha Sakura ( _née Haruno_ ) repressed the impulse to run to the front door when she heard a familiar and much-and-ever-longed for deep tenor voice coming from said direction.

"Welcome back, papa!" Before Sakura could decide how to react, another voice replied in an exited manner. The voice belonged to her daughter Sarada. Sakura smiled slightly as Sarada ran pass her into the entrance hall, and she quickly followed.

A tall man dressed in black overcoat was standing before the front door, his eyes immediately on hers as she entered the hallway. Sakura couldn't help but feel a strong flow of warmth rising up from her stomach; it soon reached her throat and she found out that she couldn't say anything. It was as if she was suffocating due to the pure intensity of her feels.

Sasuke's dark eyes were on her for a long moment before she could voice a small 'Welcome home'. Like a whimper. Her husband and daughter both regarded her. Sarada's face was nothing but full of gladness. She knew that her mother was always pleased and eager to see her father.

Sasuke, on the other hand, had that signature distant look on his face. But, as soon as he heard her words, his features softened and his firm lips turned upwards for a ghostly smile.

"I was expecting you'd be more tanned," Sakura said, sheepishly cracking a joke since Sasuke was always pale in complexion. She knew that he had been on a mission in the desert of Land of Wind.

"Huh," Sasuke stifled a snicker as he walked pass her, their shoulders brushing with each other. Sakura turned and watched him walked up the stairs.

.:.

"We didn't know you were coming back," Sakura said as she set down the plates. "The rice probably isn't enough for the three of us—"

"It's alright," Sasuke said.

They were in the living room. Sasuke sat next to Sarada; the 12-year-old was blushing with the exuberance of having her father back ( _for god-knows-how-long, but the girl had gotten used to that_ ). Sakura watched the two most-beloved persons of her life sitting together and exchanging small talks. The scene gave her so many contentment and happiness that she just might start crying ( _"Oh well Sakura, you shouldn't be such a softie!" The inner Sakura held up her fist but she was filled with joy as well_ ).

"How was Land of Wind like, papa?"

"...Always hot and dry. A lot of scums roaming about."

"Was your mission difficult? Did you fight with many bad people?"

"...Yeah."

"But your mission went successful, right?"

"Yes."

"How many scoundrels have you defeated?"

"I lost count. Too many."

"Were they all fugitives?"

"...Well.."

Sakura sighed. "Sarada, dad is tired from his journey. Maybe you shouldn't bother him with so many questions..."

"It's alright, Sakura," Sasuke interrupted her, his tone gentle. He turned towards Sarada. "They were mostly fugitive, yes."

"Why did they leave their village?" Sarada asked curiously. "Isn't it dangerous without their village's shelter and protection? Not to mention that they are wanted and chased after all the time."

Sasuke stared, seeming lost in his thought. "Hn..."

"Well, Sarada, dear, I really think your dad needs a break now," Sakura said with a slight warning tone. And this time Sasuke didn't stop her.

"I'm going to take a bath," he said, standing up disappearing into the dark hallway.

Sakura watched her husband leave. Sasuke didn't say anything, but she could tell that he was extremely tired.

There was a moment of silence, and then, "Did I upset papa?" Sarada asked.

Sakura was surprised by her daughter's utterance. Sasuke did hesitate to give an answer, but he didn't show any signs of gloom. The question probably struck a sensitive nerve, but she didn't think that Sasuke would be perturbed.

"It's alright, honey," she said softly.

.:.

Uchiha Sasuke thought about his youth.

Honestly, they weren't the best memories. The old times often reminded him of how shallow his sight had been, and they forced him into thinking and regretting about the sins he had committed.

" _Sasuke_? Are you alright? Did you fall asleep in there?"

A voice woke him up from his trance. A voice sounded not faraway but was somehow faint, as if it came from a dream instead of reality.

He suddenly noticed how tense his body had become; his fist was clenching too tight, his knuckles all white with exertion. He looked around him and found out that he was actually in a bathroom, the bathroom of the master-bedroom in his own house _to be exact_. He was shivering from cold since his hair and body were dripping water.

He was supposed to be taking a bath, not dozing off with unpleasant memories stuck in his head.

"Sasuke?" Sakura was calling again.

"I'm fine," he muttered. "Be out in a minute."

.:.

Sakura was wearing a silkish tank top and a pair of dark panties for her sleepwear. The tank top was specially selected. She had been rummaging through her wardrobe during Sasuke's bath. Well, she knew that her husband was worn out, but it wouldn't hurt to have some hopes, right?

She watched as Sasuke got out of the bathroom, finally, and walked towards their shared bed in silence. Her husband sat down on his side of bed and slowly lay down, facing away from her.

Sakura couldn't help but feel a little bit disappointed. Sighing, she turned off the light and lay down as well. She looked into the darkness in the direction of Sasuke's back. Sakura failed to suppress the urge to reach out, to make sure that he was even there at all. When her fingertips brushed his shoulder, she could feel him shudder under her touch. His skin was hot from the bath he just took.

"What," he uttered; it wasn't exactly a question.

"...Nothing," she mumbled. "I can't see you in the dark. Just want to make sure that you're here."

"Wait before your eyes adjust to the darkness and then you can see," was his reply.

Sakura smiled bitterly. Here she was, hoping to get some attention from her own husband, but all she could get was his blunt, humorless answer. But she guessed that she couldn't blame Sasuke; the man had always been like that.

Was she asking too much? As a wife, she didn't think that she was asking too much from him.

However, when she felt Sasuke turning away to avoid her touch, she closed her eyes. She still noticed the heat radiating from his body. He was so near, yet so distant. So cold, but burning at the same time.

 _How long will you stay?_

Neither she nor Sarada had the courage to ask.

 _(tbc)_

* * *

 _ **A/N:** I attempted to write this with a humorous approach, but still it ended up like this. My curse of making everything I touch become angsty that is... (sigh) This chapter is rather short but it seemed like a good place to end it._

 _I was curious about their marriage. It certainly isn't the happiest one, I suppose, lol. Sasuke lives like he's still single! Haha, well that's why I decided to write this story in the first place._

 _Reviews are LOVED and flames are not welcomed! I'm sorry but I'm kind of sensitive (*_*)._

 _-Teru_

 _.:._

 _It's a little bit weird to have Sakura call Sasuke by his name. But I think it's a bit silly if she still calls him 'Sasuke-kun'._ _I considered having her call him 'Anata' (it's like a respectful term to call your husband, I heard Hinata calling Naruto that), but I wanted to be sure (if Sakura really calls Sasuke that in canon-verse) and I just didn't like disturbing the mood with random Japanese word. In the end I settled for her calling his name. I hope that it'd be natural._


	2. In the Bar

_**Disclaimer:** I...don't...own..._

 _ **Warnings:** Bromance. AlcoholIndulging! Sasuke._

* * *

 **2: In the Bar**

Yesterday when he reported to the hokage's office, Naruto wasn't there. The nanadaime was attending an important conference according to Shikamaru, so Sasuke left immediately without leaving a note.

Now, as he stood outside the office, he could hear the loud, familiar voice of his old friend. He repressed a smirk, and knocked on the door. He did not wait for a reply before he went ahead, opening it and walking inside.

"What do you think you're doing, barging in like that? For all we know, I could be...", the blond hokage was sitting behind his massive desk, his face mostly hidden by pile after pile of documents. "...uh, naked in here?" Obviously, he couldn't seem to come up with another better reason, since his mind was presently occupied with more important matters. However, the joy of greeting his old friend was implied by his glinting blue eyes.

Sasuke turned to Shikamaru. "Please put up a sign outside if that's the case."

Shikamaru grimaced.

"Is our hokage indulging in day-time alcohol?" Sasuke asked suspiciously, noting the thorough messiness in the office.

"Hey, be careful of whom you're addressing to! Show some respect and—Damn! That's a brilliant idea! Let's grab a drink tonight after I finish sorting out all these..." Naruto wiped his hand across a couple of files, sending it flying; he made a miserable face.

"He's too stressed out these days," Shikamaru sighed. "But he insists on browsing through all the paper work himself—"

"Not browsing, _reading_ ," Naruto corrected him, burying his face into a notebook now.

" _The thing's done_ ," Sasuke cut in simply, referring to his mission.

Naruto glanced up, his eyes lingering on his old friend's face. "Yeah, I know," he smiled. "Thank you, Sasuke. _Gokurōsan*._ "

"It's my job," Sasuke said, turning to leave.

"It's a deal, huh?"

"...What?"

"I'll met you at the bar, then? Nine-thirty sharp."

"Don't be late," was Sasuke's reply.

* * *

Sasuke left home shortly after having supper with his wife and daughter. When Sarada asked him to practice _shurikenjutsu_ with her that evening, Sasuke had to tell her to wait until tomorrow. He tried to forget about her disappointed pout when he walked out of the front door.

It was a cool autumn night. At first, Sasuke's casual walk to the bar soothed his racing thoughts. He didn't know why his returning home had become so unsettling. He should feel at ease as he rejoined his family after, what, _five months_ of S-rank mission—that's how any normal people would feel, right?

Something was stirring under his thoughts. The word ' _family_ ' caught his attention. He found himself recoiling at some very painful images concerning the word. _Once upon a time, he'd had another family, and how much it had wrecked his heart to see..._

" _You're_ late," a smug voice wrenched him back from his _nightmarish_ sub-consciousness.

Sasuke looked up, Naruto was leaning against the neon sign of the _izakaya**_ they agreed to meet.

"...Am I?"

"Yeah, you're ten minutes late," Naruto said. "For a ninja with such amazing speed, you certainly has a pace of a snail when you're walking, you know?"

.:.

The clock on the wall said that it was eleven o'clock.

"... _Aaaaanyway_ ," Naruto was slurring. They were sitting in the corner of the _izakaya_ , quietly conversing about important and unimportant matters. The dim light of the place and the privacy it offered granted the two prominent men freedom and space to wind down and just be who they used to be. "The last time I was here with Sakura-chan. She was so _so_ drunk, she could barely hold it up—"

"You _do_ realize that it's _my_ wife you're talking about, right?" interrupted Sasuke.

"Yeah, yeah," Naruto waved his hand. "It's really like old times, isn't it, Sasuke? Me ramblin' and you bitchin'…you were _always_ bitching, cocky bastard…"

Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"…Sakura is working so hard. It's something to raise a child alone, y'know? She never complains, but that other night, when I was here with her…I could see what's under her mask…She really is a tough woman, huh?..."

"What did she say to you?" Sasuke suddenly asked, in a cold tone.

"Uh…oh?" Naruto straightened himself, as if he all of a sudden recognized the person who sat next to him was Sasuke.

"Nu…nothin'," he muttered. "My head's spinning."

"Let's get you home," Sasuke sighed. This drunk idiot before him being the mighty _hokage the seventh_ was just unbelievable.

"Wait," Naruto held up a hand. "You didn't even finish this glass I poured for you!"

"Naruto, I—"

"Finish it!"

Sasuke really didn't want to argue with the drunken man. He drank down the burning liquid (a full glass of _sake_ ), and cleared his throat. Normally, he despised alcohol, but today was one of those days his thoughts had become so heavy that he just wanted to get rid of them, no matter how.

"That's my man," Naruto chuckled. "Now, I wanna ask you something. If you don't wanna answer it, you just gonna drink up this..." He reached for the bottle and poured Sasuke another glass, which the other man's gaze was fuming at.

"I don't want to participate in your silly game."

Naruto grinned in his foxy way. "I don't care. We haven't drink together in, like, ages. And I won't have another chance like this for god knows how long. I'm really really busy y'know. C'mon, bastard."

"You're more sober than I thought," Sasuke remarked darkly.

Naruto sniggered and shrugged. "Jeez. I couldn't believe that Sakura has waited for ya for all this time. You must be really, um, satisfying for her, I guess?"

" _...What?_ " Sasuke growled. Naruto laughed, watching evilly as the man's pale face turned slightly pink.

"After your last mission, I told ya you could have a break. Have you considered it yet?"

Sasuke took a sip of _sake_. "...It's alright. Just need to recover my strength and I can take off again."

"You don't need to do that. I _told_ ya that you can have a break."

"I don't need one." Sasuke sipped.

"How 'bout Sakura, and Sarada?"

"They'll understand. They know." Sasuke was avoiding Naruto's gaze, even though he knew that the other man was almost completely wasted. His hand clutched the glass.

"...Are you sure?" Naruto asked, his voice suddenly soft.

Sasuke took another sip, and noticed that the glass was already empty. He poured himself another one.

"I _wish_ I could have a break, sometimes," the other man sighed.

"We couldn't turn away from our responsibility, Naruto."

"I offer you a break."

"I turn down your offer."

" _Why?_ "

"Because..." Sasuke paused, and found out that his glass was empty again. _Shit_.

"C'mon, Sasuke." There was a huge, lopsided smile plastered on Naruto's face. "Be there for them."

"For them..." Sasuke repeated in a mutter. "For whom?"

"You know," Naruto simply laughed huskily. And Sasuke appreciated the man's laughter; it really brought about a tinge of nostalgia, and he allowed himself to smile faintly. Naruto saw it, and smile back at him.

"I'm so glad to see you again," the hokage said.

"Me too, _usuratonkachi_ ," Sasuke's smile turned into a typical smirk.

They filled each other's glass again and drank off.

* * *

He mumbled an 'I'm home' before he putting his sandals away and stumbling toward the staircase. He felt his way up the stairs because (1) the house was completely dark, and (2) normally that wouldn't have been a problem but (3) he was totally drunk.

Suddenly something crushed into his chest. Something soft and warm and rather small. And that something was now saying, "You're home, Sasuke?"

"Yo...Sakura." Sasuke slurred. Of course the person who crushed into him was his wife, he hadn't know before she spoke...what was he thinking? He didn't live alone anymore.

"You're..." Sakura hesitated. "Drunk?" She gasped in disbelief.

"Either Naruto put something in the drink...or I'm drunk," He said. "Did someone try to ambush me?"

"No," Sakura said. "You're _delusional._ " She started to count the times that Sasuke had been drunk. Naruto's wedding. Their wedding. Once or twice on Team 7's reunion. But Sasuke had only been tipsy then. He was always in control, even if he indulged. Well, she guessed that it couldn't be called indulgence if he hadn't really been drunk.

"Hn," Sasuke chuckled, pleased. "Alcohol... _interesting_."

Sakura stared at her husband. This was unbelievable. But she somehow found the situation very amusing. Sasuke, _pleased_? No, you didn't get a chance to see that every so often.

"Oh my god," she shook her head and pulled her husband along the hallway, leading him towards their room.

"What time is it?" Sasuke asked.

"It's 2 a.m.. You don't want to wake Sarada up. She has mission in the morning."

"Alright..."

Sakura closed the bedroom door behind them. The room was already lit, since Sakura had been reading on the bed, waiting for Sasuke to come home. She took in the full view of her _very_ wasted husband. There were...

"Is that _mud_ on your coat?" She quirked an eyebrow.

Sasuke shrugged off the overcoat and plumped himself down heavily on the bed. "...Yeah."

Sakura wrinkled her nose. "How did that happen?"

"I guess...I fell."

 _The mighty_ _Uchiha_ _Sasuke_ _was drunk and then stumbled his way home._ Sakura laughed.

"Very...funny," she managed to say.

"What's so funny?" Sasuke asked, but there was no sull on his face.

"You," Sakura said, looking into his eyes.

Sasuke emitted a sigh with his nose, and met her gaze.

And then he slowly rose up and walked towards her, _staggering_ to be precise.

An inch away, he stopped.

Sakura found herself looking up, suddenly aware of his closeness.

"I..." He began to speak, but the words were instantly lost due to his confused brain.

And he chose to ignore what he had intended to say by lower his head and bumped her lips with his own.

Sakura jumped a little. She didn't see that coming.

The kiss was more like a crash than a gesture of love.

She gladly accepted the gesture anyway.

They lingered for a moment. Sakura broke the silence by asking, "...do you want to take a bath?"

Sasuke didn't bother to think. "No."

"Then perhaps you should change," she motioned for his clothes. "You smell like..." She made a face.

"Ah." A pause. "You smell good though."

Sakura felt heat creeping up her face. And _godforsaken she wasn't no girl of_ _eighteen_. How could he just _say_ that? ...Oh _wait he's wasted._

 _(She was so_ _gonna_ _force him drunk_ _every night from now on.)_

"Are you alright?" was her reply to his compliment. Someone had to remain sober. And she might need to check him for head injuries.

"...No," Sasuke sighed. "My head spins."

She guided him to the bed and maneuvered him to sit down.

"How can you find your way home like this?"

"It had been okay, but then it started to spin really bad."

Great, now her husband suffered vocabulary loss. Or was he really Sasuke at all? …She had been tricked before—well, that was over twenty years ago. She couldn't help but smile at the memory. _Naruto disguised as_ _Sasuke_ _to gain her attention, and they almost ended up kissing. Thank God that didn't happen._

Sasuke held his right temple with his hand and groaned lowly. If he really felt that bad, she should probably use medical ninjutsu to help him get better a bit. But, to be honest, she didn't want to. She somewhat enjoyed seeing her husband vulnerable like this. And it was lucky that Sasuke would as likely as not remember nothing from tonight.

He began to fumble with his vest and shirt, trying to get them off, and he grunted in frustration.

"There," Sakura took hold of his wrist gently. "Let me help you."

Sasuke silently consented. He sat still (actually it was a bit aslant, but was still enough for someone loaded) and let Sakura took care of him. He never really had any trouble with one arm nowadays, and he wasn't very sensitive over the matter. Nevertheless, Sakura rarely helped him do anything related to his inconvenience ( _Sasuke was rarely home anyways_ ). But she guessed it was all right to help him undress.

She removed his glove (which was possibly the main reason why he struggled with buttons) first; his skin was icy where she touched.

"Why are you so cold?" she asked.

Sasuke's eyes were half-lidded, and he didn't seem to hear her question. And then, "…Cold?" he repeated. "Dunno," he said. "I guess it's a habit."

It took a second for Sakura to realize that he'd misunderstood her question. Suddenly she felt both angry and confused. So this was why he had been so detached over the years? Just out of _habit_?

She sighed and pulled his sleeve off. Though not very muscular, his frame was wiry and solid. She stared at his bare back for a while, studying the blemishes and scars on him. Just as she thought that he might be falling asleep, he uttered, "You're angry."

Sakura blinked. "…What?"

"I said," Sasuke said again, this time more slowly and deliberately. "You're angry."

"…Yeah," she then muttered, not knowing why she had admitted the truth. She was upset by the fact that Sasuke was a cold bastard. She should have known better.

"Sakura," he mumbled, lying down (not even on his pillow, which means that she'd have to drag him to his hide of bed. Sakura rolled her eyes). "...Thank you."

Sakura turned off the light and lay down beside him. She pushed him away to make more room as she snatched the cover from under his body. "Thank me for what?" she finally asked.

"For…everything."

"Yeah, everything _is_ a specific answer," she stated sarcastically.

"Well…for this. For being with me."

"Why did you say that?" _Was he unhappy that she stayed with him? Did he find their relationship frustrating, just like she did? And NO, 'frustrating' didn't begin to describe the situation._

But Sasuke didn't give her any answer; instead, he found her arm in the darkness and gently tugged her closer, until she was half on top of him with her arm around his chest.

"...You're still heavy," he muttered. "After all these years." _Was he referring to the times when she used to plunge into him against his will like a mad fangirl, when they were still thirteen?_

Sakura felt his breaths evened. Her husband had fallen asleep, leaving her to her own thoughts.

This was Sasuke's second night home.

 _(tbc)_

* * *

 _*Gokurōsan: "Cheers for hard work" or "I appreciate your efforts"_

 _**Izakaya: tavern, or bar_

* * *

 _ **A/N:** Yay! This chapter is much longer than the last one!_

 _Alcohol just makes people OOC, especially making them truthful and talkative ^^_

 _Some of you asked if this would be a divorce fic or cheating fic. I think that's a question I can answer, and the answer is...NO. I wanted to write this story because I intended to fix things between Sasuke and his family._

 _As for my update schedule, I'm reeeally not sure about that. If I lay out a strict schedule, I'll feel stressed and reluctant to write XD (I'm such an inert person lol). But literally I'm on summer vacation so I have more free time to update._

 _And **thank you guys for all your f &fs and reviews! Your words are my fuel! I've decided to pump more energy into my lethargic brain and write faster!**_

 _And...hahaha I just love this review "Stupid blind sasuke...doesn't he see what's right in front of him? A family!" You're so right Guest! Sasuke got his mangekyou and rinnegan but he still sees nothing TAT what an idiot!_

 _Until next time!_

 _-Teru_

 _p.s. And I just absolutely love it when Sasuke calls Naruto 'usuratonkachi' XD. Shout out if you agree with me! (Or don't coz I'm just being silly lol)_


	3. Father, Daughter

**Disclaimer:** I wish it's mine so I can make Kishimoto draw more (evil laugh)

* * *

 **3: Father** **,** **Daughter**

" _Another_ D-rank mission? Are you kidding? Seriously?" Boruto was almost shouting at the hokage.

Sarada mentally blocked out Boruto's complaint. But it kept flooding in her ears. She looked around, feeling embarrassed. Uncle Shikamaru was standing by the door of the hokage office; he was frowning and mumbling something that sounded like 'troublesome'. Konohamaru-sensei, on the other hand, was smiling a bit stiffly.

"I'm capable of something greater. _We're_ capable of something greater! Say, like a B-rank mission."

"It's the third time this month," Mitsuki whispered calmly. "I'm surprised that Nanadaime put up with this argument."

"You don't look surprised," Sarada pointed out. Mitsuki merely smiled lukewarmly in response.

"B-rank is far out of your league," Naruto said. "Your team is very competent, there's no doubt of that. But you're still _genin_ , those tougher mission shall come in time."

"Whatever," Boruto grumbled. "I'd rather not listen to you lecture. We'll do it. Just give us the mission."

Naruto sighed. "All right…Sarada," he suddenly turned to her.

"Yes?" Sarada was mildly surprised. "What is it?"

"I give you a day off today," Nanadaime said. "I believe that the mission will be successful even with only the boys. Is that right, boys?"

Mitsuki tilted his head and Boruto furrowed his brows.

"Why?" she asked. Not that Sarada loved D-rank missions, but this was kind of unfair to Boruto and Mitsuki (and, she _almost forgot_ , Konohamaru-sensei), wasn't it?

"I know your dad's back in town," was Nanadaime's gentle reply. "You guys should spend some time together, well, before his next mission." When he said that, Sarada dared not look at Boruto's expression.

And of course her father had another mission coming, 'cause, yeah, he was supposed to be a big shot or something. Sarada didn't mean to be so sour, but every time he came back, his stay was always so short that she didn't know whether she should rejoice or feel disappointed.

.:.

Sarada parted ways with the rest of the team outside the building.

Now that she thought about it, she really liked Nanadaime; he was everything her papa was not—tender, considerate, warm, and smiling. Although Boruto complained about his own father twenty-four seven, she didn't think his complaint was justified. At least Nanadaime sent shadow-clones to play with his son. _Sarada herself never had any clones to play with._

On her way home, Sarada thought about her father. He had been home for two days now; today would be the third day. Yesterday he almost spent the entire day sleeping, since he had to recover his strength from the previous mission (according to Mama). And when Sarada asked him to teach her advanced _shurikenjutsu_ , he procrastinated, saying 'tomorrow morning'. But this morning he slept in, too. Mama said that he had had too much to drink with Uncle Naruto. But Sarada just met Naruto and he seemed _fine_. Her dad really sucked.

Sarada pouted.

Some people told her that her dad was a great ninja and was probably the only one that could rival the seventh hokage. They were suggesting that her father was _legendary_. Just like _Sannin_ of the old times. Sarada knew that her papa was powerful, but she could also see that he had many deficiencies, such as his lack of contact with family, friends, and just _people in general_ , or his avoidance to anything needing to show up under sunshine or in public. Well, from this perspective, her papa was a real ninja.

But was it necessary? Sarada doubted it.

She could remember brooding over the big question of ' _what exactly is shinobi_ '. Actually, she was troubled by it greatly before her graduation from the academy. The question still puzzled her. Sure, ninja was about secrecy. About endurance. About being a tool. _A means to an end._ And a bunch of stuff besides that. But in her opinion, there was no way that a ninja could be without _being human_. And being human was about being connected to other people, about having a heart and having feelings. At least this was what Sarada thought.

Yeah, it could be very handy in missions and stuff if you really act like you're merely a human tool. Be cold and emotionless.

 _Sounds like my father_ , she thought bitterly, _who works day and night for the village and doesn't really have a life._

.:.

"I'm home."

Sarada closed the front door behind her and exclaimed out of habit.

"Welcome back," answered a calm, deep voice.

Sarada was somewhat surprised. Her mother was out working on her hospital shift (she was one of the highest directors at the Konoha Hospital), so she wasn't expecting anyone home. But, "Of course," she thought. "Papa's home."

She took off her sandals and glanced up just in time to see her father strolling out of the living room looking like he had just woke up. He was wearing a loose black shirt and grey sweatpants.

"Oh, you're home," she acknowledged. That was kind of rude; but she was slightly surprised, and she didn't think her dad would care.

"Hn," was his brief reply before trudging back to the living area.

She followed him. "Um...are you alright?"

"It's nothing," he muttered. "Where does Sakura keep all the medicines?"

"What kind of medicine do you need?" Sarada asked carefully.

"Something for hangover," he grunted, sitting down awkwardly on the sofa.

"...I don't think we have that," Sarada said. Since her mother was a medic, medicine box was deemed important in the household; they checked it and supplied it every month. Sarada had been able to recite the contents and their quantities in the box since she could read. They never had hangover pills in their box.

Sasuke didn't seem happy with her answer. He sighed heavily and leaned back on the back of the settee, his head lolled back.

"...How's your day?"

Sarada wanted to roll her eyes, but she held back. "It's only _noon_ , Papa."

"Ah." And then, "Weren't you on mission?"

"I have my day off."

He didn't ask why.

"How about you, Papa?" She regretted immediately, because he was looking rather unwell. He was probably going to spend the rest of the day on that sofa.

But he surprised her. "We can train together, later," he said softly.

"Are you sure?" She asked, didn't want to sound too hopeful. "You don't seem...well."

"I'm fine," he said.

 _Liar_ , she rolled her eyes and smirked, but she was happy.

"You can't fool me," she singsonged. "How about some hot tea? Bet that will make you feel better."

* * *

Sakura was sitting in her office, checking the reports made by the medic-nins working under her. She knew better than anyone the significance of teacher-student relationship, and what progress it could bring. Being the student of Tsunade Senju, she was forever grateful for the various things her _shishou_ had taught her. And, as a leading figure of Konoha's medical ninja force, she had devoted herself to teaching young people who aspired to become medics much like her in her youth.

She nodded in approval as she read the reports. Just then, there was a series of knock on the door.

"I'm busy," she said.

"…It's me."

Sakura stood up, " _Naruto?_ What are you doing here?"

The door opened and the hokage came in.

"What brings you here?" She asked.

"Several _daimyo_ came to visit; they are impressed with our medical facilities. Shikamaru said I should receive them and show them around for the good of Konohagakure. You know, for money, investment and missions…stuff like that."

"Are you a shadow clone?" Sakura asked dubiously.

Naruto grinned. "Um, yeah, of course."

"That's rude."

"I have more important things to do than being a tour guide."

"'Tis true," she admitted. "But I wasn't talking about the tour guide thing, I was talking about _interrupting me at work_."

Naruto held up his hands and smiled sheepishly. "Please don't hit me."

"I will if not for what you did yesterday."

"What did I do yesterday?"

"Apparently you and Sasuke had a lot of _fun_."

"Ah!" Naruto exclaimed. "That."

"Exactly how much drink did he have? He came home with dirt on his clothes and he couldn't even properly speak."

"Did you take a photo for me? I can now laugh at him whenever we meet!"

"Such a child," Sakura scolded.

" _Ma, ma,_ " Naruto grinned. "And he wanted to beat me. Ha! Looks like I win this one, too."

"Congratulations."

"I won't bother you further," Naruto said, noting the sarcasm in her voice. "I just couldn't resist paying you a visit when I'm around the hospital."

"Aren't you sweet. Sending a drunk Sasuke to me and now surprise me _at work_."

"Bet you love it."

"If you mean your surprise visit..."

"I was talking about the Sasuke part," Naruto snickered.

"When will he go on the next mission?" Sakura asked suddenly. She didn't know why she asked; the words just came out her mouth out of the blue.

Naruto looked straight at her eyes, studying her expression.

"I haven't assigned him any yet," he said in a low voice.

"I thought you need him." She meant ' _I thought the village needs him_ '.

"Yes...yes I do," Naruto sighed. "It is true that there are a lot of things only Sasuke is capable of doing."

"I'll see that he's well-rested, even if it's only a little while."

"Sakura..."

"What?"

"...Nothing."

"Now, if you excuse me—"

"Ne," Naruto interrupted her. "We should hold a reunion of Team Seven. When's the last time we did that? _Ne, ne,_ what do you say?"

Sakura smiled slightly. "Are you sure? Do you have time for that?"

"I'll make time," Naruto said. "Kakashi-sensei is almost finished with his current work. We can have dinner. Just the four of us..."

"I wouldn't mind the kids tagging along."

"Yeah, that'd be a great idea."

"I'll tell Sasuke when I get home."

"Awesome."

" _Now_ , Naruto—"

"Alright! Alright!" Naruto stepped back from her. "I'm off! Bye!"

And with that and a loud _PUFF_ , the shadow clone disappeared.

* * *

Sarada came back with two cups of tea in her hands; she handed one to her father. The man muttered _thank you_ and took the cup. Sarada turned on the TV and a murmuring low noise filled the room, washing away uncomfortable silence.

"So what are we going to train today? _Shurikenjutsu_?" She asked. "Are you going to teach me _katon_?"

"We can go over some basic techniques, yes," he said. "...I've seen your shurikenjutsu usage once. It's not bad."

That was the longest sentence she had got from her dad since he came home. ( _And when did he see her? Did he stalk her?_ )

"Well, I've always got the highest grade on shurikenjutsu back at Academy," she tried not to sound smug, but it was kind of hard when you're rather doing that on purpose.

Her father turned to look at her, his gaze direct but gentle; a little smirk dangled on his lips.

"Is that so," he said.

"Mm-hmm."

"It's in your blood, then."

 _Was he trying to say 'good job' or 'like father like daughter' or something complimentary?_

"I don't understand what that means," she said honestly.

"It means...I'm proud of you."

She glanced at him, but he wasn't looking at her; he was staring ahead.

So Uchiha Sarada smiled.

 _(tbc)_

* * *

 _ **A/N:**_ _Hooray! Chapter three! We are making progress here! I love to write about Sarada and her dad; those father/daughter moments just make me go 'awwww' XD. If you like it like I do, behold! There're more to come._

 _I haven't finished chapter 4 yet but I don't want to keep you guys waiting. So I post chapter 3 a little bit sooner than planned._

 _I started out writing this story without any particular direction in my mind (I suppose it's a risky thing, but to hell with it!), and I don't usually do that either. But if I wait for plans I'd probably never publish it in the first place. So…sometimes it's better to be a little bit adventurous ;)_

 _ **BIG THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR WONDERFUL FEEDBACKS!** I especially want to thank Theo1987 for pointing out that there is a mistake on character's age. I will correct it~_

 _-Teru_

 _(Hahaha and I'm happy that many of agree with me on Sasuke's nickname for Naruto. XD)_

 _(And Sasuke is a jackass and an asshole...Hehehe, I still love him TAT. I hope he will gradually become more likable as the story progress.)_


	4. Handwriting

**Disclaimer:** Everything goes to Kishimoto-sensei. Do I have to repeat this every chapter? Yes. Because it's important. Kishimoto-san, you _rock_.

 **Warning:** Suggested adult theme. Just _suggested_ ;)

* * *

 **4: Handwriting**

In the kitchen, Sarada was humming a tune while washing the cabbages she had prepared. Even though she was a ninja, the girl was so absorbed in her present task that she didn't hear it when Sasuke strolled into the room. ( _But it could also be that her father was simply too good._ )

"…What are you doing?" When his voice sounded, she jumped.

"I'm making us lunch," she replied.

Sasuke shifted towards her until they were standing right next to each other in front of the countertop. He picked up a carton of cup noodles that was piling on the working surface.

"What is this?"

"Oh, Nanadaime gave those to us on his last visit, saying it's his favorite food."

"This, for lunch?" Sasuke squinted his eye.

"Not just that. I'm cooking soup. I'll add in these vegetables." Sarada gestured a bowl of veggie. "And we can have a healthy meal. The cup noodles are just for base flavor."

"Hn." Sasuke was noncommittal.

"Don't worry. I know what I'm doing. I always cook when Mama's working late."

Sasuke examined the bowl of vegetable. He turned towards their fridge, obviously in search of something.

"What are you looking for, Papa?" Sarada turned off the tap and glanced over her shoulder.

But Sasuke had already found what he needed. He raised a bag. "Maybe we can put some tomatoes in the soup."

Sarada beamed. "Sure. That's a good idea."

* * *

The house was dark when Sakura returned.

"Hello? Anybody home?" She called out as she turned on the lights. Though her ninja instinct told her that no one was in the house, she checked the living room first and then walked into the dining room. There were something on the table—a pot of soup and a bowl of noodles. And a note stuck to the tabletop.

' _For Mama_ ,' it wrote neatly. ' _Gokurōsama.'_

And below that, ' _out training. be back soon_ ' was written in a narrow and elegant handwriting.

Sakura smiled and sat down.

.:.

Sasuke's handwriting drew out her were the days they first started dating. _Sasuke just got promoted to jounin and she became the deputy of medic-nin force. She remembered the days so well. They were young and everyday was a challenge with new responsibilities and tasks. Sometimes she was so exhausted from a day's hard work that she collapsed immediately after going home, and still she woke up with dark circles under her eyes. It was then Sasuke began to show up after her post, waiting just outside the hospital as if he was just stopping by. At first, she thought that he_ really _was just stopping by, because he never said much, or showed that he was glad to see her (since he was Sasuke, y'know.). But showing up almost_ everyday _in a week? (When he wasn't on extended commissions, of course.) And he would still be there even when he was looking rather ragged from his mission, offering to walk her home._

 _When Sakura consulted her girl friends about these weird (but pleasant nonetheless) little incidents, Ino claimed that Sasuke was in love with her, while Hinata (who was already in a relationship with Naruto) suggested that maybe she should find out how Sasuke really felt about her._

 _It was true that Sasuke had become tenderer (well, as tender as Uchiha Sasuke could be) towards her after he returned to Konoha from his travel around the world. From the way he looked, spoke and acted, she could tell that he had certainly changed. And those changes just made her longed for him more. The way that he held himself, not as an anger-fueled teenager, but a man—that was a difference; he was calm, not because he was suppressing his ire and pain, but because he had finally figured it out._

 _Then she found out that she actually enjoyed talking to him. At those nights during their walk to her house, they would engage in small conversations. She would talk about her work and he his undertakings. She suggested how the medical system could improve, and he told her his present training goals and the kind of jutsu he was trying to develop._

 _Nothing very interesting, maybe. But she discovered that she liked it. And she liked the way he talked to her about the small things in life._

 _.:._

 _How long did those days last? Weeks? Months? Half a year? …And then came the night they went pass her house just because they were talking and none of them wanted to come to a stop. When they finally halted, the silence of the night fell around them. They were already far from her home. And it was very strange. They were standing opposite each other and their eyes met. Sakura noticed how tall he was—she was facing his throat if she didn't lift up her chin; and when she did, she noticed that he was gazing down at her. They had met each other for over a decade, and so many things and changes had befallen. But there they were. Facing each other on a cloudless night in Konoha, on that very same street they had bidden painful goodbye as he left for Oto's power. It was like a dream. She felt an urge to grab him, to hold on to him. And so she did._

 _"Sakura," he was surprised. His black eyes widened ever so slightly._

 _She had her fist clutched tight on the front of his shirt. He didn't move, nor resist._

 _"What do you think..." she started to say, hesitating before completing the sentence. "...What do you think of me?"_

 _Something flashed in Sasuke's eyes._

 _"I..."_

 _"I want you to answer it honestly," she said. "Don't try to say something smart or cool, because what you say means a lot to me."_

 _"I wasn't going to say anything of the sort," he said, perhaps a bit irritated. "What did you mean, anyway? Why would my words mean a lot?"_

 _"Are you serious?" She chuckled. "You still don't get it, do you?"_

 _"...Get what?" He glanced down at her grip on his clothes._

 _"Sasuke-kun, when we were still genin, I used to think that maybe when we grow up, we would be dating and some day we would be together and married. After you left the village, became an international criminal, I thought I was stupid, but still I couldn't help falling for you. But I thought that maybe, just_ maybe _, there're little chances that I would get over it and forget about you... When you came back, it was almost a miracle to me. By then I've already known that there's no chance that I could ever ignore my feelings for you, let alone forget about you. When you're near, when I can see you, I can never tear my eyes off you. When you aren't around, I'm constantly thinking about you. That's how I feel about you, Sasuke-kun." Sakura kept her eyes on him, all the while his face were the same. But she could tell that her words reached his heart, because—_

 _He raised his arm and put his hand on one of hers. With his skin so pale, you'd think that it must be cold to touch. But, to her surprise, his hand was burning._

 _"I know," he said. Was that tremor in his voice?_

 _The words were simple, but she flushed. It was an acknowledgement. "And? What do you think?"_

 _"I think..." He began. "That I like you, Sakura." He added her name._

 _It wasn't as firm and as direct as what she had said._

 _But it was enough._

 _"I..." He said, swallowing hard. "I don't know how to express what I feel, and I don't...really know what it is that I am feeling. But I guess...I like you. I want to...be with you."_

 _"Be with me," she repeated his word._

 _He nodded._

 _"Then perhaps you should hold my hand," she said. And he did, lacing their fingers together. She finally loosened the grip on his shirt. "And then you—"_

 _He didn't wait for her instruction, leaning in and never let go of her hand. They kissed. Just like that. This was what she had dreamed of for all these years._

 _He wasn't what she had expected, though. She had thought that maybe he would be forceful and dominating, something like his inner personality. But he was gentle beyond her imagination. It was as if kissing her would break her. He didn't press in; he just stayed there. And she didn't want to rush it, either. She lifted her free right hand and encircled his waist. They were so near that she could feel his chest rising and falling, his hair brushing her cheek. He smelt like sweat, blood and cinders from his mission, but beneath that, there was a sweet scent of some mixture of fruits, which probably came from the shampoo or aftershave he used. His lips against her were soft and warm. And..._

 _"There's cut on your lip," she said against him._

 _He drew back a little, "Yeah?"_

 _She hadn't noticed it before since he was often covered in bruises and cuts after strenuous tasks. She put a finger on the cut, feeling him tremble under her touch. His eyes dilated._

 _"I can heal that one for you," she said._

 _"It's nothing..." he muttered. But she kept her finger on the cut and started to pump chakra into the small wound. The truth is she just wanted to touch his lip like this. Somehow, it felt even more intimate than kissing him._

 _"Sakura..."_

 _"Mmm?"_

 _"...I think how I feel is very much the same as what you just said," when he leant back, he said softly._

 _"Sasuke-kun," she said. "Let's..."_

 _She paused._

 _"What is it?" he asked softly._

 _"…Let's go to your place."_

 _.:._

 _The next morning, she woke up to totally unfamiliar surroundings. It wasn't her bedroom. It was a neat, spacy room; she was lying on a double bed in the middle of it._

 _This was Sasuke's room._

 _The next thing she noticed—he was gone._

 _She sat up and rubbed her eyes off sleepiness. Looking around, she saw something on the nightstand pinned down by a mug next to a pile of books._

 _A little note which said, '_ on mission. be back soon. see you in three days. _'_

 _She rarely saw Sasuke's handwriting; it might as well be strange and new to her. But she recognized it at once—the handwriting was just like him, graceful and tidy._

 _Sakura picked up a pencil left on the nightstand and wrote under the line of words._

 _'_ I'll be right here waiting for you. _' She hesitated, her mind suddenly filled with the remnants of last night. She blushed, and added, '_ love. Sakura _'._

 _It turned out that Sasuke was true to his words._

 _(tbc)_

* * *

 _ **A/N:**_ _24 reviews! **You guys rock!** (Which is why I have such a quick update hehehe…but it's also probable that real life kinda suck so I hide into the wonderful world that is fan fiction) And thank you an anonymous guest reader! Who confirmed my guess of Sakura calling Sasuke 'anata'. Thank you! That sounds more endearing to me._

 _Please tell me if there's something you particularly like from the chapter or the story, I'd really like to know :)_

 _See you all soon!_

 _-Teru_

 _P.s. After I started to read and write Naruto fan fiction, I suddenly realized how rude it is to say 'Hn' to people when they're talking to you XD. You should give it a try lol !_


	5. One Person, The Other

**Disclaimer:** No. And I think that'll do.

 **Warning:** Hmmm... Mild and suggested adult theme. I think it's pretty implicit. I'll leave it to you guys' imagination ;)

 **And** well I've considered about this... the story is set _before_ the Boruto movie. Yes... I think this will make things clearer...

* * *

 **5: One Person, The Other.**

"How did your training go?"

"Haven't you already asked Sarada about it?"

Sakura held the laundry basket, which was filled with freshly washed and dried clothes, in one arm, and used the other to close the bedroom door behind her. Sasuke was reading a book on the bed.

"I wanted to hear you opinion, that's all."

"She's good," Sasuke said.

"Of course," Sakura smiled, rather smugly. "She's hardworking, and smart. She can totally kick our butt as _genin_."

Sasuke smirked, agreeing with her. "She sure can."

"But, of course, she got very supportive parents," Sakura paused, the smile on her face fading slightly. "Don't you think so?"

Sasuke glanced at her as if pondering whether there was any innuendo in her words. He squinted. "...That is a good thing," he said, his face stern.

"She's a good kid. You never need to push her to do those things. Training, reading... Sometimes I see her working hard, and I see you..." The smile reappeared on her face, this time gentle, and a little dreamy. "It's such a magical thing, isn't it? In some way, we created life, and it's gonna carry on...in its own way."

"...Ah," Sasuke nodded in agreement.

Sakura spread the laundry on the free space next to Sasuke on the double bed. She started with sorting the clothes out. The room fell back into silence as she continued on the chores and Sasuke his book.

"Sakura."

"Eh?" she replied, still busy folding the clean laundry.

"I'm leaving tomorrow."

The scarlet tank top in her hands slipped to the floor. She bent down to pick it up, not comprehending what he said. "...What?"

"I'm leaving tomorrow."

She straightened up. Her expression puzzled. "You said...you're leaving?"

"Not now. Tomorrow."

"Oh," she finally said. "That's...soon."

"Yeah, I just got informed," he said. "There are some disturbance in the northern area of—"

"You know what," she interrupted him. "I don't think I need to know."

This time it was him that looked puzzled. "...Why? I thought you'd want to know where I'm heading."

"Just come back soon. I know you would be fine."

"Sakura, I don't know how long it's gonna take."

"The mission is classified."

"To other people, yes. But not to you," he said.

"How _sweet_ ," she snorted, and threw the newly folded clothes into the closet without much care.

.:.

The most difficult thing to grasp in a relationship, she thought, was the constantly changing distance between two people. Once the relationship, in this case, marriage, of two people was established, a specific distance was requested for both husband and wife. No matter what happened after that, they had to meet that requirement founded by the general consensus that was society. Although being ninja, the social consensus was quite different from that of civilian's. Death, mission, and other endless reasons drew lovers apart.

However, love is still the same thing for ninja. The arrow of love strike mercilessly and would be pull out in the same fashion.

The distance...

To think about their past—how they had finally accepted each other wholly, how they decided to bring their relationship to a new level—made her feel old, because it was so long ago. She had managed to pull herself through all those years without him; it felt incredible. Did he feel the same way?

They had never thought about whether it would be okay or all right for them to be together and build a family, just like any other human beings do. All of it just happened in a way that fit.

But Sakura knew that it wasn't just any other man that she was dealing with. It was Uchiha Sasuke. The man she knew all of his darkness. No, not even her knew the width and depth of it...

.:.

Sakura was now lying next to her man, who was still busy reading the book (which she found very tedious). If he really needed to leave tomorrow, he shouldn't be staying up late. But knowing Sasuke, he must be feeling uneasy, and obviously bothered by something. Sakura had known that he was often deprived of sleep since they first start living together; she could understand that because they were ninja who had been through war, after all.

And it just happened that she couldn't seem to fall asleep just yet. So she ended up keeping her gaze on the man next to her. Deep down in her mind she knew clearly why she wasn't able to fall asleep easily like she always did, but she didn't want to acknowledge it. Truth was ever bitter.

And right now she couldn't take her eyes off the man who was always so distant from her. It was as if Sasuke only let her see the part of him which he chose to let show. There were still so many things that were only open to the man himself.

Sakura hadn't thought that it would be unfair.

She watched him curved his lips slightly, obviously smirking at something he found amusing in that book he was holding. But he was reading combat reflections written by some ninja masters.

They were so different from each other, in both background and personality. How could the two of them understand each other? They were never meant to do that in the first place. They must have only been seeing what they wanted to see when they felt that blissful feeling which people may call love. And years would prove them wrong when they grew apart due to those distance added up by the differences between them. The times that they spent apart would only bring them more loneliness and sorrow, making them feel more and more unbalanced.

Because...Uchiha Sasuke was a man that kept all to himself. And Haruno Sakura was a woman who wanted the sole of him.

You see, that was contradictory.

She tossed and turned.

"What is it?"

She almost jumped when he uttered the sentence, out of the blue.

"N-nothing," she replied. "What are you talking about?"

"Something is bothering you," he said, putting down the heavy book. His black eye was scrutinizing.

 _Does he have to be so sharp?_ She sighed inwardly. "I'm fine."

"You're not. I can see it."

 _You idiot. You can only see it, but you never know why_ , she grumbled in her head. Sasuke had always had the ability to read her distress, but he was also able to push her away when she revealed her feelings to him. He was ever good at closing and opening the gate that connected the outside world and his inner emotions.

"Can you just stop asking?" She asked; she didn't know how to handle him just now.

"I want to know," he said. "I can see that you want to say something to me."

 _That was_ nice _of him_ , she tried not to scowl.

"I'm not in the mood of talking about it right now, Sasuke," she sighed.

"It's bothering you," he frowned. "Just tell me."

"I'm not in the mood."

"Why not?—"

She interrupted him. "Just give me a kiss good night. I want to sleep now."

She wasn't serious when she told him to kiss her. But when he did, it was hard and demanding. Before she could do anything else, he was leaning over her. He gripped her wrist too tight that it started to hurt. Even though this wasn't what she had asked for, she had to admit that she liked him this way, too. It was the same Sasuke, after all, just another side of him. She had always known that there was a part of him that was dark, twisted, evil even. But it was also because he got the other part that he was able to know deeper than most people, including Naruto, what was truly good and pure.

So she let him to be rough on her all he wanted. All the time she looked into those dark, dark eyes that seemed to be telling her something, but also revealing nothing at the same time. She tried really hard to understand... _She had tried so hard,_ she thought desperately to herself. But...why was it still so unclear to her?

He was calling her name again. She liked it when he called her name like that, like his life depend on it. The way his body feeling familiar and warm against her own made her feel at ease. It was as if nothing had changed at all... They hadn't got married, they hadn't gotten a child, they hadn't aged. They were just two people. One man, one woman. Two ordinary people. Who they were didn't quite matter. They were just seeking love from each other as if in that way their souls could be saved...

.:. .:. .:.

Sasuke hadn't wanted to tell her that he had to leave.

He watched his wife's back heave in the darkness. She had fallen asleep not long ago. And he couldn't do the same thing.

He received the emergency message from Naruto while he was training with Sarada. He was worried by the disquieting event the scouting group had reported. He would meet with Naruto the first thing in the morning, and they would discuss further about the mission ahead.

But he didn't like the idea of having to tell his wife and daughter about this. He hadn't told them about Naruto's promise of giving him a short break; however, he had already accepted that offer deep down his mind. And he felt that his family had sensed it too. Well, he didn't know how they felt, but judging from the way Sakura reacted to his information, she wasn't too thrilled by the idea of him leaving all of a sudden.

Sasuke could only hope that it wouldn't always be like this.

He guessed that he had been feeling frustrated, with whom? With himself? Probably. He could have handled the situation better, but he wasn't a man good at comfort and words.

* * *

They were standing by the front door.

"Those are your clothes." She gave him a small smile, handing him his bag. "I've tried to put everything in your bag, but you should probably check them over yourself in case there's something I left out."

"Thank you, Sakura," he said, wrapping himself up in his cloak, now clear of mud and dust. "I think it's perfect."

"And your _obentou_ *."

Sasuke took the lunch box from her hands with a smile. He loved the lunch box she made him; it always reminded him of home. And that didn't begin to describe the warm feeling inside his heart.

"Now you should probably go," she said.

"...Yeah," he looked down. "I—"

"I don't think you need to say anything," Sakura smiled.

"...But..."

"We're grownups, aren't we?" She still had that smile on her face. "If I don't act mature in times like this, we'll forever be trapped by trivial sentiments which would only end up damaging the small bliss we could have. Don't you think so?"

Sasuke didn't know what to say. She was right. Her words had weight and determination in them; he could only trust in her. But her smile seemed feigned, or maybe it was his guilt doing the trick.

"...I'll see you soon then," he finally muttered.

 _(tbc)_

* * *

 _ **A/N:** Oh my gosh! I'm finally able to finish this chapter. I think it took me forever... I had a writer's block, and I threw away my draft several times. Though I'm lazy, I still am a perfectionist, haha. I shoulda warn you guys that I'm pretty unstable with updates. Sometimes I'm on fire but other times...I'm sluggish as slime ^^_

 _So...don't kill me if something like this happens again XD._

 _Again, reviews are welcomed and loved! And btw, I like that improvised 'Hn' conversation a dear guest reader made! XD_

 _Oh, and I think there would be two chapters...? and we'll reach the end. Honestly I still don't know what will happen!? We'll wait and see!_


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